UK to find out how much fat people are weighing on economy

Obese unemployed Britons could be told to lose weight or go without up to $200 in weekly welfare benefits.

The revelation comes as British Prime Minister David Cameron prepares to announce the commencement of a survey assessing the effect that the drug-addicted and obese are having on the country's economy.

Around 90,000 Britons are currently making claims based primarily on their dependencies to drugs and booze, meaning roughly 25 percent of alcoholics and about 80 percent of heroin and crack cocaine users are claiming benefits.

The cost to the National Health Service is estimated at around $10 billion, and more than $50 billion per annum to the economy in general.

"Our One Nation approach is about giving everyone the opportunity to improve their lives and for some that means dealing with those underlying health issues first and foremost," The Telegraph reports Mr Cameron as saying.

"We must look at what we do when people simply say no thanks and refuse that help but expect taxpayers to carry on funding their benefits."

"Over the next five years I want to see many more people coming off of sick benefit and into work and Carol Black (of the Cambridge University) will report back to me on how best to achieve that.”

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